When it comes to choosing where to place green technology bets, Ford Motor Co. leaves little to chance. The automaker has heavily invested in Big Data technologies and analytics to guide scientific decisions about everything from realistic fuel economy targets and green routing services to the potential availability of rare earth minerals used for powertrains and batteries. "The company's investments in the field of Big Data analytics have continually increased during the last 15 years," John Viera , global director for sustainability and vehicle environmental matters, told attendees of the recent Net Impact conference in San Jose, Calif. These decisions are made by the company's Research and Innovation Center, established in the late 1990s. The group started out small but is now building out not just to provide insights based on information that could affect Ford decision...